Wall diffuser



United States Patent O York Filed May 13, 1963, Ser. No. 279,782 4 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) The present invention relates to a wall diffuser and it particularly relates to a grill type wall diffuser.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention will be particularly described in relation to an application to a rectangular type diffuser which may be readily inserted in the walls of a room although less preferably it may also be placed in a ceiling or in other positions where the incoming -ow of conditioning, Ventilating or heating air is to be distributed within an enclosure in a room, ofce, factory, loft or the like.

It is among the -objects of the present invention to provide a simple, readily installed and manufactured diffuser inlet construction which may -be used with incoming heating, Ventilating or air conditioning system-s and which assurance is had that there will be a satisfactory distribution and intermixture of the incoming air with the air already present in the enclosure without the production of undesirable drafts and currents of air.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system which will permit controlling and thorough intermixed inflow of incoming conditioned, Ventilating, humid-` ifying air in whiclh\the incoming air will be arranged in predetermined fashion without noi-se or undesirable Vibration and in which the incoming air will be thoroughly intermingled with the air already present in the room or enclosure.

A further object is to provide a novel inlet diffuser construction in which the device may be of relatively few parts and readily constructed and maintained and at the same time will present an outside decorative appearance.

Still further -objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that thi-s more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory according to yone embodiment of the present invention to provide a base enclosure frame construction which may be readily inserted into a rectangular or squ-are opening within a wall or ceiling in a room in which the incoming Ventilating, conditioning or heating air is to be introduced.

Desirably in the preferred construction, there are provided a series of rows of de-ecting or diffusing vanes which are arranged substantially inside of and removed from the exit diffuser or air distributor as the case may be with the exterior of the air diffuser being provided with a series of swinging adjustable controlled elements extending between dthe rows of oppositely directed diffusing vanes.

The diffusing vanes are preferably formed from an integral strip 'having a relatively mounted base portion with a plurality of arcuate curved diffusing vanes projecting in opposite direction therefrom.

The incoming air will be thus directed in a series of transversely crossing streams of air which will assure a thorough distribution and diffusion of the incoming air.

In the preferred construction, the arcuate diffusing vanes are desirably free on both side edges of each vane without interior separating strips or bars and with the adjustable ns being positioned directly opposite and ice extending along and beyond the gap or space between the alternate vanes in each strip.

Although the shape and character of the Vane may be widely changed, transversely the Vane-s are of shallow arcuate shape with the concave portions turned away from one another in the same row of arcuate diffusing vane-s and with each row extending from side to side of the frame construction and have terminal tongues for mounting purposes.

In a less preferred construction, the vanes may be straight and the vanes may .be separated by transversely extending bars or strips, but generally, this is found to be undesirable to achieve the maximum diffusing effect.

Although the outside set of adjustable fins are positioned extending transverse t-o the rows of vanes, they may be all adjusted together from a single control.

In a preferred form of the invention to have adjustable fins individually adjusted, it is necessary to give the desired varying distributi-on pattern over the diffuser or grill as the case may be.

Although the form of the adjustable fins may vary, it has been found most satisfactory according to one embodiment of the present invention to provide a cross section which will have rounded end portions with an intermediate -connected thin narrow structure, the entire iin being extruded in one piece.

To give the pivotal mounting -for the adjustable fins in the sides of the grill, the rounded end portions may be projected into openings in the side supporting structure so that the interior edge of the adjustable fin will be so mounted while the external edge may be moved backwardly and forwardly to give the -adjustable effect.

Desirably the rounded ends are shouldered adjacent the ends of the adjustable fin so as to `act as baffles particularly on the outgoing side .and cause turbulence of the outgoing Ventilating, conditioning or cooling air fas the case may be.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of part-s as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the -claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts through-out the several views:

FIG. l is a bottom plan View of a wall diffuser `according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional View upon -an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. l taken upon the line ZZ of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional View of the diffuser of FIG. 1 taken upon the line 3 3 of FIG. 1 and upon an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of a row of oppositely directed larcuate diffusing vanes as they may be mounted in the side frame structure.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse perspective sectional View showing the cross section of the adjustable fins which are positioned at the outside of the diffuser.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side perspective View showing the manner in which the ends of the enlarged portions of the adjustable ns may be extended to fit into the side wall construction.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional View showing how the vanes may be arranged parallelly to one another in adjacent rows with their curvature coinciding.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 to 7, there is shown a wall structure A having an opening B which carries the exterior flush frame C with the face or wall plates D,

and the inwardly directed conduit or side plates E.

The conduit walls or side plates E carry the rows of arcuate diffusing vanes F interiorly extending transversely in one direction as indicated by the `double arrow G and the adjustable elongated outer ns H extending transversely in the opposite direction as indicated by the double arrow I.

Firstly referring `to the arcuate diffusing vanes themselves as particularly shown in FIG. 4, these vanes may all be formed of a single strip of aluminum or lightweight metal, the dimension of which may be widely varied.

Each of the vane strips F have a narrow base portion from which may be stamped out the oppositely directed vane elements 21 and 22 having the out-turned end edges 23 and 24 with the curvature of each corresponding vane in each row being parallel as indicated in FIG. 7.

There is desirably a slight spacing 25 as indicated in FIG. 2 between the oppositely directed vanes 21 and 22 and the slot as indicated at 26 in FIGS. 2 and 4 which extends slightly into the narrow strip 20.

The ends of the strip have short extensions as indicated lat 27 which extend into the slots 28 in the opposite side wall elements 29 of the side walls E which are integral with the face plates D of the frame structure C.

The sizing of the vanes may be widely varied.

For example, the vanes may be about 1" in height with the oppositely directed vanes extending about threeqularters of the height of the strip of metal and with the strips of vanes extending any desired dimension from several inches up to twelve or twenty-four inches as the case may be.

Each of the vanes themselves may have a width of about 3%1 with the end vanes desirably being somewhat narrower and `about I/2, but this width may also vary from 1/2" up to 1" or even up to 11/2" or 2 as the case maybe.

In one form of the invention, the length of the vane is desirably slightly greater than the wid-th of the vane by about 5 to 30% or preferably 10 to 20%.

The vanes may be slotted out of the same piece of strip metal without the spacing 25 in between.

It has been found most desirable to provide a relatively narrow intervening spacing 25, for example, 1/16 which may vary from 1A@ to %2".

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the oppositely directed vanes 21 and 22 may be at an angle of about 45 degrees to the position of the base strip 21, but it is to be understood lthat this angle may vary from 35 to 55 degrees as the case may be.

These strips as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are desirably mounted substantially inside of the wall B and desirably inside of the face plates D of the frame C so that the opposite direction of the air streams caused by the arcuate surfaces 4thereof will be created inside of the conduit E.

It will also be noted from FIG. 1 that each successive row indicated diagrammatically by the arrows 30, 31, 32 and 33 will have oppositely directed streams of air desirably at the angle of the arcuate vanes 22 and 23 and indicated for one row by the solid arrows 34 and 35 in FIG. 3, and by the dot and dash arrows 36 and 37 in FIG. 3 giving a scissors effect of the air streams along each adjacent row 30, 31, 32 and 33 as indicated in FIG. l.

The arcuate character of the vanes may be achieved by inturning the outer corners as indicated at 45 in one vane in FIG. 4, and at 46 in the next adjacent vane in FIG. 4 so that the root portions 47 and 4S of the vanes may be flat or if desired, the entire contour of the vane may be given the arcuate or rounded effect.

The curvature, however7 is to create a jet or compacted stream of air which is diverted by the curved face of the vane between the corners 45 for the vane 21 and 46 for the vane 22 so that these jets will tend to pass outwardly in scissor like manner as indicated at 34 and 35 for one set of parallel vanes in FIG. 3 and 36 and 37 for the opposite set of parallel vanes in FIG. 3.

The jets of air so formed will tend to be separated from one another by spaces opposite and along the separating slots 25 between the side edges 50 for the vane 21 in FIG. 4 and the side edges 51 for the vane 22 in FIG. 4.

In directing these oppositely transverse criss-cross streams of air into the room or enclosure, itself beyond the wall A, the adjustable fins are employed.

These ns are shown in small scale in FIGS. 2 and 3 and in somewhat larger scale in FIGS. 4 and 6, and they may all be positioned vertically to the plane of the face plates D as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 where no adjustment is necessary.

They desirably extend as shown best in FIG. 2 from directly opposite the end of the spaces 25 between the vanes 21 and 22 to closely adjacent the plane of the face plates or wall plates D forming part of the frame C.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, each of these adjustable Ens H have an inside enlargement 66 of circular cross section terminating in the shoulders 67 and in the outer circular enlargements 68 terminating in the shoulders 69.

These rounded end portions or enlargements 67 and 68 are connected by the relatively thin rectangular section 70.

Desirably these adjustable fins are extruded in one piece from aluminum and may be cut in sections to t between the side walls E extending inwardly from the face plate D of the frame C.

As indicated in FIG. 6, however, at the pivotal ends 71 of the ns H, there are extensions 72 from the enlarged portions 66.

These extensions 72 extend beyond the edges 73 of the narrow portions of the adjustable ns and are positioned closely adjacent to each very narrow spacing at 74 against the side walls 75 of the conduit or side plates E which extend inwardly from the face plates D of the frame C.

These side walls 75 have openings 76 which act as pivot mountings for the extensions 72 and permit the vanes H to be manually terminated to the dotted line positions '77 and 78 as 4shown in FIG. 2.

The friction in the opening 76 should be desirably such as to hold the adjustable iin in its adjusted position as indicated at 77 and 78 in FIG. 2.

This frictional effect may also be achieved by causing contact betw-een the edges 76 of the adjustable n H and the interior face of the Wall 75.

If desired, other frictional means may be used at the pivot connection 72 and the pivotal openings 76 in the walls 75.

The frame structure C as shown with the side walls C thereof have the oblique portions between the face plates D and the interior conduit walls E which as shown in FIG. 3 extend partly into the opening B in the wall A and inside `of the outer enlargements 68 `of the vanes H.

The face or wall plates D of the frame C are desirably sealed by the gaskets 101 to the outside face 102 of the wall A.

With these gaskets 'being held in position by the inturned edges 103 of the face plates D, the other extensions 104 on the inside portions of the face plates D may be used for suitable corner attachments to join the opposite sections 105 and 106 of the face plates D at their angular junctions 107 (see copending application Serial No. 170,574 tiling date February 2, 1962 and Serial No. 170,575 filing date February 2, 1962).

It is thus apparent that the -applicant has provided a relatively simple adjustable wall diffuser in which there will be a series of oblique directed jets of incoming air 34 and 35 and 36 and 37 which as indicated are approximately at angles of 45 degrees but which may change from 30 to 60 degrees but which will be spaced from one another by the curvatures of the vanes 21 and 22 as well as by the spacing between the uanes.

This crisscross pattern from the alternate rows 30, 31, 32 and 33 will result in a commingled diffusion of air as it leaves the grill with the fins permitting adjustment along any row of parallel vanes 21 and 22.

Normally, the varies H will act as separators until these crisscross streams reach the enclosure inside of the wall A, but where adjusted as indicated 4at 77 and 7S in FIG. 2, they may control the pattern as it leaves the oppositely directed vanes 21 and 22.

The structure may be assembled by rst assembling the siide frame or face wall sections 195 and 106 and then snapping first the vane elements F in position so that their tongues 27 will lodge in the openings 28.

Then the extruded aluminum adjutable fin sections may be snapped into position with their extensions 72 -being inserted into the pivotal openings 76 in the sid-e Walls 7S.

It is, of course, possible to utilize the oppositely directed vlanes by themselves without the adjustable fins or the fins by themselves without the adjustable vanes.

The combination as shown gives a particularly satisfactory distribution and diffusion of air.

As many changes could be made in the above wall diff-user, and many widely dierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. A wall diffuser for insertion in a wall or yceiling opening, said diffuser having an Ia-ir outlet face substantially flush with the wall or ceiling, and comprising a rectangular frame having inwardly directed sidewalls, the outer edges of said sidewalls having Hush mounting anges extending :at right angles thereto, a plurality of air directing members extending across said frame, each member comprising a mounting strip having a plurality of air directing vanes extending from said strip, alternate vanes extending in opposite directions, the face of each vane having a concave surface for receiving and directing the air flow creating a series of oppositely directed' separated jets of incoming 4air in crisscross fashion which will diffuse together and create a thorough mixture with the air in a room.

2. A wall diffuser as set forth in claim 1, and further including a plurality of closely spaced parallel at vanes, and means adjusvably mounting said flat vanes on said frame adjacent said outlet face to guide air ow after it leaves said air directing vanes.

3. A wall diffuser as set forth in claim ll wherein a bevelled surface is provided at the juncture of said sidewalls and said flush mounting flanges.

4i. The diffuser of claim 2, said adjustable Vanes being of dumbbell shape, with enlargements at each end thereof to break up the stream of air.

References Cite-tl by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,413,418 12/1946 Spieth 98-40 2,560,802 7/1951 Lambert 98-40 3,125,944 3/1964 Radclii 98--40 ROBERT A, OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

EOWARD I. MICHAEL, Examiner. 

1. A WALL DIFFUSER FOR INSERTION IN A WALL OR CEILING OPENING, SAID DIFFUSER HAVING AN AIR OUTLET FACE SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE WALL OR CEILING, AND COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR FRAME HAVING INWARDLY DIRECTED SIDEWALLS, THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID SIDEWALLS HAVING FLUSH MOUNTING FLANGES EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO, A PLURALITY OF AIR DIRECTING MEMBERS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID FRAME, EACH MEMBER COMPRISING A MOUNTING STRIP HAVING A PLURALITY OF AIR DIRECTING VANES EXTENDING FROM SAID STRIP, ALTERNATE VANES EXTENDING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, THE FACE OF EACH VANE HAVING A CONCAVE SURFACE FOR RECEIVING AND DIRECTING THE AIR FLOW CREATING A SERIES OF OPPOSITELY DIRECTED SEPARATED JETS OF INCOMING AIR IN CRISSCROSS FASHION WHICH WILL DIFFUSE TOGETHER AND CREATE A THOROUGH MIXTURE WITH THE AIR IN A ROOM. 